Gibson Pickups

Re: Gibson Pickups

King IzzO))) said:
I think the DF is 44 awg and the 500T is 43, same magnet structure, double screw on the DF.
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I've read that idea somewhere before and I don't think it was you... this idea from 2 separate sources... then it must hold truth somewhere.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I guess a smaller wire would mean more turns on the dirty fingers, and probably more mids? what about the screws vs. the slugs? What difference in sound will that make?
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

ok, take anything i have to say with a grain of salt because my experience is limited.

someone said that LPs don't sound like LPs without gibson pups. there is a 490/498 combo in my LP. personally, think they sound like total crap, at least in my particular LP. well, that's not entirely true. the 490 in the neck sounds like total crap. it's muddy and indistinct. the 498 doesn't sound like crap, but it doesn't sound good either. it's got a kind of screechy nasal quality that i don't like. they'll probably be going up for sale in a year or so when i'm absolutely certain i'm going to keep rosie for the long haul.

i have a JB and jazz waiting in the wings, as well as some 500k pots. just need some new caps and then i'll redo her electronics. in the meantime she's at least playable, even if she doesn't sound great.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I'm a notorious pickup swapper, but I have had a 57/57+ combo in my norlin goldtop for more than 15 years and I have never thought about putting anything else in there. I bought a traditional pro last year with a 57/BB3 combo and it sounds great to me. Completely different than my other les paul, but absolutely fantastic. To be honest, I think Gibson pickups get a bad rap most of the time. Then again, I don't play anything all that heavy.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

ninemiles said:
I guess a smaller wire would mean more turns on the dirty fingers, and probably more mids? what about the screws vs. the slugs? What difference in sound will that make?
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I think that the DF already uses awg44 which is the thinnest wire in common use.

The only thinner wire using pickups are some stacks (dimarzio HS and the like) but I think they would sound bad on a humbucker.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

The 57 classics and the burstbuckers are the ones that tend to be the more expensive of Gibsons pickups. I think AMS had the best prices when I was looking at Gibson humbuckers.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

longcat said:
ok, take anything i have to say with a grain of salt because my experience is limited.

someone said that LPs don't sound like LPs without gibson pups. there is a 490/498 combo in my LP. personally, think they sound like total crap, at least in my particular LP. well, that's not entirely true. the 490 in the neck sounds like total crap. it's muddy and indistinct. the 498 doesn't sound like crap, but it doesn't sound good either. it's got a kind of screechy nasal quality that i don't like. they'll probably be going up for sale in a year or so when i'm absolutely certain i'm going to keep rosie for the long haul.

i have a JB and jazz waiting in the wings, as well as some 500k pots. just need some new caps and then i'll redo her electronics. in the meantime she's at least playable, even if she doesn't sound great.
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A lot of people don't like the 498T/490R combo because it's difficult to dial in amp settings that work for both pickups...on 10. Try setting your amp so that the neck pup sounds good THEN go to the bridge pup with the tone at about 6 or 7...just a little over halfway.

I'll admit my own guilt (I like an A2 in the 498T to tame the highs) but like most of us, I imagine you leave your tone controls dimed. Gotta use them suckers.

Or, you could do like lots of us here do: put a middy mag in the bridge and a bright one in the neck, like A2/A5 or A8/A5. I haven't had one in a LP in close to 10 years but people say JBs are either too bright or too mushy (go figure) in LPs. If you want to keep it, you may have to play with mags in there, too.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I've had two sets of Gibson PUs.
My main guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Classic from '97 that came with the infamous 496R/500T combo. Then changed them for EMGs, then came Gibson's 57/57+ that I couldn't get rid of them fast enough (I HATED those muddy pickups) and now I have a Jazz/Custom combo that I'm happy with.
I may say that after all the PU swapping, I still think the 500T and 496R weren't that bad of a PU combo and sound great for what they did.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

formula73 said:
A lot of people don't like the 498T/490R combo because it's difficult to dial in amp settings that work for both pickups...on 10. Try setting your amp so that the neck pup sounds good THEN go to the bridge pup with the tone at about 6 or 7...just a little over halfway.

I'll admit my own guilt (I like an A2 in the 498T to tame the highs) but like most of us, I imagine you leave your tone controls dimed. Gotta use them suckers.

Or, you could do like lots of us here do: put a middy mag in the bridge and a bright one in the neck, like A2/A5 or A8/A5. I haven't had one in a LP in close to 10 years but people say JBs are either too bright or too mushy (go figure) in LPs. If you want to keep it, you may have to play with mags in there, too.
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i don't like the idea of having to narrow her tone that much just to get her to sound decent. that'll work till i have all the supplies i need to do the overhaul though. the jazz and JB are pups we already have laying around here, so they're free, and we've also got a custom that's unclaimed if i don't like the JB.

i think i'd rather swap them out entirely before playing with mags too, although someone did suggest that in the NGD thread when i first got rosie and it's been lurking in the back of my mind as a possibility if i'm strapped for funds and having trouble getting her to sound like i want her to with the pups we have available here.

thanks for the input man. :)
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

LC, what you need to try is mag swapping the 498/490. If you switch the mags between them they become much more useable, the 490R especially gets a whole lot better. It's worth it.

Formula is right about the JB/LP thing too, it can sound really nasty, and not in a good way. The Custom is probably a better option, at least the one I'd go for.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

King IzzO))) said:
LC, what you need to try is mag swapping the 498/490. If you switch the mags between them they become much more useable, the 490R especially gets a whole lot better. It's worth it.

Formula is right about the JB/LP thing too, it can sound really nasty, and not in a good way. The Custom is probably a better option, at least the one I'd go for.
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alright already! :lol: really, i'm holding that in reserve as an option, because i don't want to spend any more on her than i already have (for now, anyway). i've got my reasons for wanting to try the JB, and i'm keeping the custom and the mag swap on the gibson pups as backup. rosie may very well be going through several incarnations in the coming months if i don't like how the JB sounds.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

I put a set of Burstbucker 3's in a SG Standard and the sound is unbelievable. Very smooth rich sound that will rip your head off.
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

sky dog said:
I put a set of Burstbucker 3's in a SG Standard and the sound is unbelievable. Very smooth rich sound that will rip your head off.
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I'm not sure I want my head ripped off, I'm more after a little ear lovin'! LOL
I do like those BB3s. I've played them in a LP trad pro and they were SWEEET. The only thing missing for me was a little bottom end chunk when I palm mute. The BBpro had that in spades, but is so bright!
 
Re: Gibson Pickups

formula73 said:
Or, you could do like lots of us here do: put a middy mag in the bridge and a bright one in the neck, like A2/A5 or A8/A5. I haven't had one in a LP in close to 10 years but people say JBs are either too bright or too mushy (go figure) in LPs. If you want to keep it, you may have to play with mags in there, too.
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+1. I put an A8 or UOA5 in a 498T and an A5 in a 490R, and it's a whole new ball game. Much better match. It becomes Gibson's version of the C8/'59N.
 
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